Field
The present specification generally relates to strengthened glass articles and, more particularly, strengthened glass articles having etched features, as well as electronic devices incorporating such strengthened glass articles and methods of forming etched features in strengthened glass articles.
Technical Background
Thin, strengthened glass panels have a variety of applications in consumer electronic devices. For example, such strengthened glass panels may be used as cover sheets and/or touch screens for LCD and LED displays incorporated in mobile telephones, GPS devices, display devices such as televisions and computer monitors, and various other electronic devices. As the use of strengthened glass panels continues to expand, the geometric complexity of the glass panels also increases. For example, certain applications may require etched features within the surface of the strengthened glass panels for tactile differentiation and/or decorative purposes. Currently, such visual or functional features are provided in strengthened glass applications by laying films, paint or other materials that is then machined (e.g., by computer numeric control machining) to provide for visual references, such as a depressed or embossed surface of ON/OFF buttons on touch devices where the visual references have some specific texture making them easy to identify by touch or vision. In other cases, the features are provided on the enclosure wrapping the touch display. However, it may be desirable to provide for etched features directly on the surface of the strengthened cover articles.